When a clerk sprinted from behind his counter at a South of Market gas station last month, he had good reason to run. Behind him, a gunman opened fire, letting off four to five rounds, but missing.

These moments were captured on video surveillance released by police Thursday. The May 19 footage showed two men dressed in black hoodies attempting to hold up the Shell gas station at Eighth and Harrison streets around 2:40 a.m.

Before one of them pulled a handgun on the clerk, the two men strolled around the store and even had a short conversation with the man behind the counter. At one point, a man in a black hoodie and grey beanie peered into the surveillance camera.

Both men then walked over to the gas station clerk and demanded he hand over the cash, Officer Carlos Manfredi said. Instead, the clerk bolted outside, “fearing for his life.”

The robbers gave chase — one of them shooting at the clerk — then jumped into a light-colored sedan. Manfredi said another accomplice could have been waiting in the getaway vehicle.

They were last seen driving southbound on Eighth Street toward an Interstate-80 onramp.

The man with the beanie is described as 22 to 25 years old, standing 6 feet tall, weighing about 120 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. He had on white t-shirt, blue pants and white shoes.

The other man appeared to be 20 to 22 years old, standing 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighing 120 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a Raiders hooded sweater, blue jeans and black shoes.